Hoof-remover.



W. P. LUETH.

HOOP REMOVER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12, 1914.

1,1 00,754. Patented June 23, 1914.

WITNESSES.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I-IOOF-REMOVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 1914.

Application filed January 12, 1914. Serial No. 811,607.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. LUETI-I, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hoof-Removers, of which the following is a specification.

Preparing pigs feet for the market necessitates the removal of the hoofs therefrom, and in the various packing houses of today the removal of the hoofs from pigs feet is done by hand and is a slow and tedious process.

This invention relates to a device for mechanically removing the hoofs from pigs feet; and the object of the invention consists in the production of a device for the above purpose which will be simple in construction and whereby large quantities of hoofs from pigs feet can be speedily re moved.

I accomplish the object of the invention by means of the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, showing the initial step in removing the hoofs from a pigs foot. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view in side elevation, of a modified construction of the hoof removing device. Fig. 4 is a top or plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 2.

The hoof removing device comprises an oscillating bar 10 which is bifurcated to form the prongs 11, two in number, in order that the two hoofs from a cloven foot hog can be simultaneously removed in one oper ation. The bar 10 is pivotally supported in a standard 12, the latter being mounted upon a suitable base 14. The device includes a second standard 16 which stands parallel with the standard 12, the two standards forming a support for the horizontal bar 17. This bar forms a means for readily positioning the pigs foot by allowing the said bar to pass down between the divided portions of the hoof. In order that the prongs 11 may be readily broughtagainst the pigs feet, which may vary in diameter, the said bar is permitted to be moved longitudinally, and to permit this longitudinal movement with respect to the standard 12,

I provide a loop formed by bending a small wire 20 which engages the bar 10 at two different points, as indicated, and to prevent displacement of the bar I provide a pin 21 which passes through the loop formed by the wire 20 and through the upper end of the standard 12. The bar 10 terminates in a handle and is of sufiicient length to afford suflicient leverage to enable the hoofs to be easily removed. WVhen the hoofs are removed from the foot they usually fall free of the prongs 11 allowing another pigs foot to be quickly inserted into the device. In case the hoofs remain impaled upon the ends of the prongs they may be easily dislodged by moving the bar 10 forward and on the downward stroke the prongs may be swung sufiiciently near to the standard 16 to cause the hoofs to engage the upper end of said standard and be dislodged from the prongs.

In Figs. 8 and i of the drawings I have shown a modified construction wherein a flexible spring 25 is attached to the bar 10, the spring being bifurcated to conform to the shape of the prongs 11, the bifurcated ends of the spring extending to the points of the prongs. The full lines indicating the spring in Fig. 8 illustrate its normal position, and said spring is forced downwardly to assume the position shown by dotted lines during the operation of removing the hoofs, and when the hoofs are entirely free from the pigs foot the spring will right itself through its own resiliency and will again return to its normal position and will dislodge any hoofs that may be impaled on the ends of the prongs 11.

The construction herein shown is extremely simple, but I desire to state that in actual use the device has shown a capacity whereby a large amount of work can be performed, for the hoofs from six hundred pigs feet have been removed in one hour, so that the advantages gained over the old method of removing hoofs by hand will become readily apparent to those engaged in the pork packing business.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a hoof remover, a frame having a pair of vertical separated members, a guidebar between said pair of members, and a lever pivoted to one of said vertical members and having a bifurcated end straddling I having a bifurcated hooked end straddlin said guide-bar, said lever being movable longitudinally.

2. In a hoof remover, a frame having a pair of vertical separated members, a guidebar arranged between said pair of members, and a lever pivoted to one of said vertical members and having a bifurcated pointed hooked end straddling said guide-bar, said lever being also movable longitudinally.

3. In a hoof remover, a frame having a pair of vertical separated members, a guidebar between said pair of members, a lever pivoted to one of said vertical members and (7 g said guide-bar, said lever being also movable longitudinally, and a yieldable spring ovorlying and extending the bifurcated end of said bar for automatically cleaning said ends of foreign material.

In witness whereof, I, have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 27th day of December, A. D. one thou- I sand nine hundred and thirteen.

WILLIAM F. LUETH. Witnesses F. W. VVOERNER, I. L. LARSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eaclnby addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

